The Peninsula Oilers started off a 10-game homestand with a 6-0 victory over the Chugiak Chinooks on Tuesday in Alaska Baseball League play at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
The Oilers move to 9-20 in the league, but remain behind the Anchorage Bucs for the league’s fourth playoff spot.
Liam Rocha had a dominant performance on the mound for the Oilers in collecting the victory. Rocha pitched seven innings, then faced two batters in the eighth inning before getting ejected.
Rocha allowed five hits and walked one while striking out 12.
After the ejection, Dylan Crowley picked up right where Rocha left off. Crowley worked two hitless innings while striking out two.
The Oilers grabbed a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Garrett Pennington started the inning with a double, then Bryce Marsh singled to put runners on first and third with one out.
Grant Roosma scored Pennington with a single, then Andrew Sojka loaded the bases with another single. Henry Novicki singled to score Marsh and Roosma, then Cole Moore hit a sacrifice fly to score Sojka.
The lead went to 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Marsh walked and Roosma singled to put runners on first and third with nobody out. Sojka singled to score Marsh, while Novicki hit a sacrifice fly to score Roosma.
All six runs came off of Chinooks starter and loser Nelson Schutte. He worked six innings and gave up 10 hits while walking three.
The Oilers continue to home stretch by facing the Chinooks today at 6 p.m.
Pennington, Roosma, Sojka and Novicki all had two hits for the Oilers, with Novicki getting three RBIs.
Several former Oilers have heard their names called in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Monday, Bryan Woo was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round. Woo was selected as the ABL Top Prospect in 2019.
Tuesday, Jaden Fein was taken in the 15th round by the Washington Nationals and Damon Keith was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 18th round.
